Mumbai: All Aaditya’s allegations are ‘baseless’, says BMC

BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal. File Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Thursday issued a point-by-point rebuttal to Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray's allegations of irregularities in road repair and other city works. Prices were increased in the revised tender because large companies refused to work on old rates, he said, justifying an alleged 40 per cent hike.

Former Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday met Governor Ramesh Bais and demanded the Lokayukta investigate Chahal and the alleged irregularities in the works and tenders of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Thackeray had alleged a scam of Rs 6,000 crore in road repair works.

Issuing an official statement, Chahal stated, "Certain questions are being raised consciously and deliberately about the BMC's mechanisms since the completion of the corporators' terms on March 7, 2022. An appropriate response has been provided through various channels and legal platforms. All allegations of financial misconduct are completely unsubstantiated and baseless."

Road work is underway outside the railway station, in Andheri West. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Explaining how the contracts of road concretisation were awarded, Chahal said, "The BMC invited a large-scale bid for cement concretisation of approximately 400 km of roads. Companies with the necessary experience of working on national and state highways were eligible to submit a response to the bid. In order to achieve this, a joint venture approach was not allowed."

"Considering the cost rise between 2018 and November 2022, prices of various items were revised. Large companies refused to work at old rates owing to a significant rise in market rates. Therefore, the existing rates have been revised to reflect current market rates. Additionally, usage of utility ducts and pre-cast drains and such advanced technologies are also included in the tender," he added.

Also Read: Mumbai: Ahead of BMC poll, BJP office-bearers to be evaluated

‘There's transparency'

Dismissing Thackeray's claims of favouritism in picking contractors, Chahal claimed the BMC has adopted complete transparency in the ongoing work, allowing access to the public to monitor the progress of the works.

"If the contractors fail to meet the construction deadlines, the technical personnel assigned by them will face severe penalties. During the execution of the project, they will be continuously monitored through CCTV cameras. Detailed information regarding all the roads' progress will be made available to the public, and QR codes will be published on barricades. By scanning this QR code, the public will be able to easily access the relevant details of the ongoing work on the respective roads. Any violations of these new and strict provisions will result in severe penalties imposed on the respective contractors within the tender," he said.

‘No gravel shortage'

The BMC chief also dismissed the claims that there is a shortage of gravel supply in the city. "The allegation is baseless, which is evident from the fact that no contractor has stopped road work over the past two-three weeks. None of them has raised the issue of the increase in the rates of gravel either," Chahal stated.

There is no truth in the allegation of corruption in the street furniture contract either, he said.

The estimated cost for the project was R263.43 crore, but the lowest quote was R276.50 crore, 4.96 per cent higher than the estimate, Chahal said. "As per the rules, negotiations were conducted, and the tender price was fixed at 0.01 per cent less than the estimated cost, which is R263.40 crore," he added.

"The defect liability period of some of these works is 10 years. Therefore, it was ensured that the quality of these works is good. The entire process has been carried out impartially and transparently by the BMC administration and all the rules and conditions related to the tender and work have been properly followed. Therefore, BMC is clarifying that there has been no irregularity or malpractice in the work of street furniture," he concluded.